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With New Year's Eve right around the corner, we know you're looking for some last minute champagne cocktail inspiration. So here's a thought: Why not do like so many of today's top bartenders and kick it old-school? Enter the French 75, a Prohibition-era cocktail with a lot of room for interpretation.

Named after a powerful piece of French WWI artillery, there has been long-standing debate as to whether the original incarnation was made with gin or cognac. But here's the beauty of mixing your own cocktails — you don't have to choose sides. Make both, and let the heated cocktail conversation begin. Or maybe someone prefers vokda? That's called a French 76. There are even alternatives for the brandy and the bourbon drinker (called the French 125 and French 95, respectively).

Of course, if you're looking to do something more creative than simply changing the base liquor, try one of the following five variations.